In the field of residential and commercial lighting, a variety of applications generate light from point sources. Whether a lighting application utilizes charged gas particles, such as a neon tube, or a current resisting filament, such as an ordinary household light bulb, the intensity of the light generated at the point source can be significant. In many instances, the light intensity is great enough to cause discomfort or harm to any person viewing the light at its point source. As a result, numerous constructions have been utilized to shield viewers from the intense light emanating from the point where the light is generated. At the same time, these designs have been intended to facilitate the diffusion of as much of the generated light as possible in order to maintain an efficient lighting application. The result is that these lighting applications balance the requirement to shield viewers from the intense light at its point source with the requirement to use as much of the generated light as possible, but in a diffused form.
This balance of requirements has been accomplished in various ways. For example, ordinary household light bulbs are often frosted in order to reduce the intensity of light at the point source while diffusing as much of the generated light as possible. In addition, frosted and textured globes serve a similar purpose. In related applications, light sources are often shaded, which primarily serves to block the intense light at its point source from the viewer while at the same time redirecting useable light to reflective surfaces such as walls and ceilings. Another solution utilized to block light from the viewer is a recessed lighting application, which removes the light source from the common view, in order to reduce the chance that a viewer will encounter intense light at the point source. While all of these conventional arrangements are intended to provide diffused light with minimal light loss, it remains that a significant amount of light must be blocked in order to reduce the chance that a viewer will encounter intense light at its point source.
In providing a solution to these competing requirements, torchiere-type lights have been utilized to provide light that is nearly entirely reflected off nearby walls and ceilings. The light source is positioned in an opaque bowl at the top end of a pedestal so that a viewer has virtually no opportunity of encountering the intense light at its point source. At the same time, the light source is positioned within the bowl so that much of the generated light is directly projected toward the nearby walls and ceilings. The remaining generated light is reflected from the interior of the bowl toward the same nearby walls and ceilings, thereby minimizing the amount of light that is lost. Thus, the torchiere uses a single, large, high-efficiency light source, an improvement over the small, multiple bulbs used by conventional lamps. The torchiere also provides a more uniform light distribution, and allows for variable beam control. However, there are disadvantages to torchiere-type lights as well. In particular, the pedestal usually must be tall, which makes the lamp inherently unstable; the intensity and heat produced by the luminaire is usually greater than that of an ordinary household light bulb, thereby posing a greater fire risk; and the wiring used by a torchiere-type light is similar to that used in ordinary table and floor lamps, which can contribute to common household accidents.
Thus, while existing lighting applications have increased the amount of useable light and improved shielding, inherent disadvantages continue to exist. The noted deficiencies should be overcome in order to maximize the amount of useable light, maintain shielding, and otherwise improve existing lighting applications. The resulting lighting effect should also be more pleasing and efficient than that provided by a direct lighting source.